Of every clean animal take unto you seven pairs, איש ואשתו — husband and wife. Of every animal that is not clean, take two, איש ואשתו — husband and wife. (בראשית ז ב)
The Talmud in Sanhedrin (108b) wonders, Is there marriage for animals?
We never find the reference of 'husband and wife' in Torah other than by humans.
Rabbi Shmuel bar Nachmani answers in the name of Rabbi Yonasan: The reference is to those animals with which did not violate the transgression of relations with another species.
Rashi elucidates that although female animals will mate with many males, the animals who were privileged to enter the Ark were only those who stayed loyal to their species, not coupling with other ones.
Is that the sum total of marriage, simply staying loyal?
The Talmud goes on to query how Noach determined whether they remained chaste.
Rav Chisda answered that the Ark miraculously only 'absorbed', allowed entry, to those who were faithful.
Rabbi Abahu differs and says only the loyal ones instinctively came on their own.
The Talmud in Zevachim (116a), according to an amended text, indicates that the two respective opinions regarding determining the loyalty of the species, was also the method by which Noach verified which species were טהור — 'pure', i.e. kosher, and which were טמא — 'impure', i.e. non-kosher.
Rashi, though, on the verse describing the entry of the seven kosher animals to the Ark, adds: 'that will be kosher in the future', going on to state that evidently, שלמד נח תורה — Noach had learned Torah.
On the initial reading of this Rashi, it would seem to indicate that Noach's ability to know which animal was kosher was based on his Torah knowledge.
Yet, the Talmud seems to indicate it was either the Ark absorbing them readily, or alternately, their intuitive arrival to the Ark, that revealed which species were kosher and which not.
The Mesilas Yesharim famously teaches: If you look deeper into the matter, you will see that this world was created for man's use. But behold man stands on a great balance. For if he is drawn after the world and distances from his Creator, behold, he corrupts himself and corrupts the world with him. But if he rules over himself and clings to his Creator and uses the world only as aid to serve his Creator - then he elevates himself and elevates the world with him. For all creations are greatly elevated when they serve the "Adam HaShalem" (whole/perfect man) who is sanctified with the holiness of the blessed G-d.
The Zohar states how G-d was אסתכל באורייתא וברא עלמא — gazed into the Torah and created the world.
The Torah is the blueprint by which the world operates. To the level Torah exists in the world per force those that represent it, does the Torah reflect its perfection. When the Torah is diminished, so are the forces of nature deficient and corrupt their norm.
Why did were some animals drawn to Noach, and others not? It was due to Noach's influence upon a world that was bereft of the values and morals of Torah. It was the fighting presence of Torah against the forces of evil that impacted those animals to maintain their natural purity and balance of healthy instinct.
If there were yet animals who were drawn to Noach and his Ark, it was evidence that the blueprint was yet intact, per force the Torah Noach learned.
It was Noach's nobility that instilled that decency into animal life, who are portrayed as 'husband and wife'.
The great Hungarian rabbinic leader, Rav Shlomo Zalman Ehrenreich, the Rav of Simlau, who perished in the Holocaust, explains the phenomenon of the relatively small dimensions of the Ark that were able to house the full gamut of species of wildlife that preserved the world, within its space.
The Holy Torah contains within it, infinite knowledge. Every single קוץ — coronet above each letter contains mounds of laws. It is a veritableמיעוט מחזיק את המרובה — small entity that contains vast amounts.
Noach's fusion with Torah thus empowered the physical Ark to reflect this 'nature', enabling it, in kind, to contain more than meets the eye.
The more one absorbs Torah into his being the more one merits to have the natural world respond to his needs.
There are people who personify Torah in every breath and action they undertake.
The influence they have in inspiring others goes beyond the laws of nature, defying the limitations of time, physical strength, and space.
Rabbi Moshe Hauer managed in his relatively short lifetime to touch the lives of so many across a wide span of the world. It was due to his embodying the Torah and its beautiful ways from yet a young age.
It was genuine and consistent. It was selfless. He was motivated by a driving desire to sanctify His Name and promote its magnificence.
He succeeded.
In his absence, we must fill the gap in pursuing in kind his life's mission.
May his soul be bound in the bond of eternal life. May his memory be a blessing.
באהבה,
צבי יהודה טייכמאן
